Volt-ampere meter.



P. M. LINCOLN.

VOLT AMPERE METER. APPLICATION r1150 NOV. 29. 191.3. RENEWED SEPT. 13, 1915.

Patented 06b. 12, 1915.

. 2 SHEETSSHEETI.

INVENTOR F'|GJI% P. M. LINCOLN.

'VOLTAMPERE METER. v APPLICATION FlllEO NOV-2% 19l3 RENEW ED SFPT. I3. 19!?)- 1,156,413. 1 Patenbed 0ct.12,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- FIELIII WATTLESS WITNESSES INVENTOR PA' D'L M. LINCOLN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

VOLT-AMPERE METER.

Specification of Letters Ifatent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

App Emblem tiled November 29, 1913, Serial No. 803.681. Renewed September 13, 1915. Serial-No. 50,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL M. LINCOLN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Volt-Ampere Meters. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to electric measuring instruments and more particularly; to methods of, and instruments for,

' measuring the electrical power of alternat- -'in currents its rimarv ob'ect bein to provide a method and an instrument which Will not only give the true watts in a circuit, but will also indicate other quantities as well, including the volt-amperes and power factor. I have shown an embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I. is a diagram of circuits and a partial section of a watt meter. arranged for proper measurement of the electrical ower of'a circuit; and Fig. II. is a similar gure, showing the combination of a watt meter and a Wattless component meter with a series of scales 22 for indicating both of these quantities and at the same time the volt-amperes and the power factor. Fig. II". is a side elevation of the intersecting pointer arrangement 21', 26, shown in plan in Fig. II. Fig. III. shows another arrangement for use with single phase loads.

It is well known that a measure representing the volt-amperes of a circuit may be resolved into two components, one of which is the true watts in that circuit, and the other of which is known as the wattless component; these two components being at right angles to each other. It is also known that when the quantity representing volt-amperes in alternating current work is so resolved into such two components, it is completely determined thereby, both in magnitude and in direction. For illustration, refer first to the scale diagram at the left side of. Fig.

' IIL, assume that the line 0C represents in length and directions certz'in value of volt-- amperes which it is desired to determine; and suppose further that these volt-amperes are what is known as lagging. as exemplified. for instance, by the kind of'volt-amperes taken by an under-excited synchronous motor, If the line OAfrepresents the true watt component of the quantity represented by the line 00, and the line OB rep- 06 will take the direction OC'.

resents the wattless component. the angle A013 being a right angle, those skilled in the art are aware that awatt meter properly applied to a quantity represented by ()C will measure the true component 0A. It is also known that a watt meter may be so modified in its connections as to measure the wattless component OB, if desired; for instance, by changing the shunt connection of the watt meter so as to be 90 electrical degrees displaced from the condition wherein the true watts are correctly indicated.

It must be understood that the quantity represented by line ()C may be subject to continual cl'iange both in magnitude and direction. It is possible to arrangea watt meter so as to measure the magnitude of the projection of the line ()C in any desired direction, it being most usual to so choose this direction that that projection of the line be ing. measured represents the truewatts as above explained. It is. however. quite feasible to choose any other direction for the resolution of the quantity represented by line ()C: and I am not confined to the direction that represents the true energy and the direction at right angles thereto. though for the purpose of my invention it is most useful and convenient to so resolve the quantity being measured.

It may be desirable to determine the direction of energy flow and also whether the ivattless component is lagging or leading. For example. we have assumed that the line represents the volt-amperes taken by a load runnin at a la in )ower factor.

"likewise the quantity ()(3 would be changed in direction and appear as OC Further more. if the machine, instead of being a motor became a generator, delivering the same amount of power it formerly took, the wattless component still being in the direction represented by line OB, the true watt co1n-,

ponent OA would be reversed in direction, becoming 0A, and the line 0C would take the position OC. If we assume further that we still have a generator but that the generator takes a lagging current from the line instead ofa leading current, the quantity My invention provides an instrument by which all ponent. the wattless component, the resultant of these-the volt-amperes'and the power factor. Referring represents a generator 5, feeding a circuit 6, 7, 8, containing a load LL, which we desire to determine. The current is passed through a stationary coil 9, returning by the lead 10 to the line 7, and Within the coil 9 is mounted a movable coil 11 supported on trunnions 12, having pivots 13, 13, but restrained-in its movements by spiral springs 14, 14. The

coil 11 is connected in shunt with a load L,

by the leads 15 and 16, one of which contains a suitable non-inductive resistance 17, and. "connection to coil 11 may be made by means of the restraining springs 14. This is a well known form of'meter, in which the torque on the movable coil 11 will be proportional to the product of the current in the series coil 9. multiplied by the current in I the movable coil 11 multiplied by the cosine of the phase angle between them; in other words, the angle of deflection of the coil 11 is proportional to the true energy of the load L, and a pointer attached to the coil 11in any suitable manner would, therefore,

represent the true energy absorbed by the load L. The particular kind of watt meter used-is, however, not essential tomy invention.

W Referring now to Fig. 11., I have shown a two phase generator G in circuit with any two phase load L, and connected with this I have two watt meters 1" and 1, connect-- ed in phases A and B, respectively, and two wattless component meters 2 and 2' connected, respectively, in phases A and B, u shownby the lead connections a,a, 6 ,6, on the machine G. That is, the stationary coils of the meters 1 and 2 are in circuit with the phase A leads fromthe generator,

' and the stationary coils of meters 1 and 2 are 'in circuit with the phase B of the genorator; while the movable coils of meter 1* and 2 are in shunt across the A phase and the movable coils of meters 2 and 1 are in shunt across the B phase of the generator. (Fmconvenience the hase letters a, b, are marked on the mova le coils in each. instance.) Thus each of the watt meters 1* and 1 combine current and voltages which are derived from the same phase, while each of the wattleas component meters 2 and 2',

first 'to Fig. 1., the diagram' tan'cg 33 for the purpose combine current with voltages that are I electrical degrees from the phase relations in meters 1 and 1 The watt meters 1, P, 7

instead of carrying individual poinwrs, carry the arms 18 and 19 connected by a link 20, carrying rigidly a thin 'stifi rod 21,

which will obviously travel in a horizontll direction over the indicating dial 22. Simi' larly the wattless component meters 2 and 2 carry the angularly movable arms 23 and 24, respectively, which are link 25 carrying the thin sti rod 26 traveling over the indicator dial 22 in a vertical direction, or a direction at right. angles to the movement of the rod 21. rods 21 and 26, may be. arranged to slide loosely in a, pointer block 27, as shown in ivoted to the These two.

FigsII, so that the pointer may be moved 5 in any direction in a plane by the con joint action ofthe two rods 21, 26. Ohviously, the horizontal position of the pointer 27 is determined solely by the watt meters 1 and 1, while the vertical position is determined solely by the wattless component meters 2, ,2. rods are moved, the horizontal movement of the index 27 will 'show the true watts and the vertical movement of the index 27 will show the wattless component. The circles, by indicating the total distance of movement wil show the volt-amperes,-while the radiatin lines will show the power factor.

It is, of course, evident that when measuring single phase power I have need only of a single meter for each of the functions, and

I conveniently arrange the instrument for.

such cases as shown in Fig. 111., which will be of value with single phase loads and also where another, phase of the generator is not available.

G is I" nerator and LL the load an before; and it will be observed that the sta- -tionary coils of thewat't meter 28 and of the wattless component 29 are in series in the circuit, while the movable coils 30 and 31 are in shunt. The shunt circuit of the watt'meter 28 contains a non-inductive re- When the two" sistance 32 as usual, while in series with the wattlell-component meter, I lace an induco causing a lag in thoshunt current of the wattle component meter. It in, however, impouibb .hy Each mmto cause a phone diflerence of 90 e and that in mi] 81; so that the wattle-conponent meter 29 will not nlolvo'fle voltboin meomd into a component from the trio watt component, but will indicate thcvalno of a component at something less than 90 d true watt component. In 0t or words, the wattlus component meter does not measure the true wattless com ent,-but a component lying somewhere between tho'shnat' currontin' coil so from the:

tween the true watt componmt slid the true wattle. component. g

I compensate for this failure to cause a complete 90 degree relation between shunt current-s by making the mechanical angle between the pointer arms 21, 26, of these in struments, the same as the electrical angle between their shunt elements.- It will be apparent then that as before, the position of the intersection of the arms 21 and 26 will indicate the true watts, volt-amperes, the value of the wattless component, and the power factor. It will be understood, that my invention is not limited to any particular form of meter or any particular arrangement of circuits, so long as the quantity under measurement is resolved into two components at an angle to each other, and then again their effects combined on an indicator, as herein described.

Various advantages of the method and of these devices will occur to those familiar with the art.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim is the following:

1. The method of measuring the volt-amperes of an alternating current circuit which comprises moving one indicator in propor tion to the true watts of the circuit to be measured, and moving another indicator in proportion to the wattless component of the current in the circuit, and 'movin an index by the conjoint action of said two Indicators, whereby to show the true watts, the wattless component, the volt-amperes and the power factor, substantially as described.

2. The method of measuring the volt-amperes of an alternating current circuit by resolving the volt-amperes of the circuit into two components at an electrical angle to each other, utilizing said components to produce indicating motions at a mechanical angle to each other approximately equal to said electrical angle, and combining said motions to control an index, substantially as described.

3. The method of measuring the electrical quantities pertaining to an alternating cur.- rent circuit, which consists in separately measuring several components of the apparent energy of the current traversing thecircuit. and combiningthe said compon measurementsto'produce a joint indication, substantially as described.

4. A volt-ampere meter comprising mechanism moved by and proportional to the true energy of the circuit to be measured, mechanism moved by and proportional to the wattless component of the current and an indicator operated by the joint action of said mechanisms.

5. A volt-ampere meter comprising a plurality of watt meters in different phases of a circuit and a mechanism moved thereby proportional to the true energyv of the circuit, combined with a plurality of watt meters in different phases of the ,wattless component' of the current and mechanism movedthereby and proportional thereto, and means indicating the combined movements of said mechanisms, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a composite indicating dial, of two indicating arms moved in lines atright angles to each other and intersecting over the dial. means to move one of said arms in proportion to the true venergy and means to move the other of said arms by the wattless component of the circuit under measurement.

.7. An electric meter comprising mechanisms actuated respectively by and in proportion to two components bf the apparent energy traversing'a circuit. and means for producing combined indications of said components;

8. An electric meter comprising two indieating devices actuated respectively by and in proportion to two components of the apparent energy traversing a circuit. the said indicators having lines of motion at approximately the same mechanical angle to each other as the electrical angle between I the' said components,

9. An electric meter comprising one indieating dev' actuated in proportion to the true energy' component of the apparent energy traversing a circuit and another indieating device actuated in proportion to an-' other component of the apparent energy, the

' said indicators having lines of motion atapproximately the same mechanical angle to. each other as the electrical angle between the said components.

10. An electric meter comprising a device actuated in proportion to the true energy component of the apparent energy travers-v ing a'circu-it, a device actuated in proportion to another component of the apparent en-. ergy, and means for producing by said devices combined indications of said components. l

11. An electric meter comprising a device tor indicating the true energy of the current traversing a circuit, a device for indicatingthe wattless component of said current, and

means for combining said indications to show the apparent watts and the power factor of said current. i

12. An electric meter comprising two indicators actuated respectively in proportion to-tWo components of the apparent energy traversing a circuit, the said indicators having motions in lines at approximately the same mechanical angle to each other as the electrical angle between the said components, and a scale over which said indicators move provided with circular divisions representing apparent energy values, radial di' visions representing power factor values, and two sets of marginal divisions respectively representing the values of the true meters each having a current winding and a energy and the wattless' components of the traversing a circuit, and indicators operated respectively by said mechanisms and moving parallel to themselves and disposed; at approximately the same mechanical angle to each other as the electrical angle between the said components.

15. A meter for measuring the energy of a polyphase current in a circuit comprising two pairs of mechanically coupled wattvoltage winding, the voltage windings of the meters of one pair being associatedrespectively with the same phases of the current in said circuit as the corresponding current windings, while those of the meters -of the other pair are associated with phases of said current other than the corresponding. current windings.

16. In an electric meter having appropriately movable indicating devices, a scale having circular divisions representing apparent energy values, radial divisions representing power factor values, and two sets of marginal divisions respectively representing valuesof the true energy component and of the wattless components of apparent energy of current in the circuit being measured, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto.

signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed witnesses.

PAUL M. LINCOLN.

Witnesses:

FREDK. STAUB, W. A. HECKMAN. 

